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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692528">Scaredy Cat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaTheHank/pseuds/AnnaTheHank'>AnnaTheHank</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A/C/G ot3 [29]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crowley tries to be spooky, Halloween, M/M, Multi, Shenanigans, They are not impressed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:41:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,066</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692528</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaTheHank/pseuds/AnnaTheHank</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Crowley and Aziraphale convince Gabriel to step away from work for an hour during Halloween. Crowley tries his best to spook his husbands, but falls a bit short.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley/Gabriel (Good Omens), Crowley/Gabriel (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A/C/G ot3 [29]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1424962</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>ABSFZ Halloween Good Omens Works</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Scaredy Cat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi everyone! Pardon my MIA for the last, uh, month or so. (Long story short I'm working full-time for the time being so what is energy?)<br/>ANYWAY<br/>Here is a cute lil zine fic I did for the Big Spooky Fan Zine!!! I will not stop until I slip a/c/g fun into as many zines as I can I guess 🤣 I hope you all enjoy &lt;3 And thank you for putting up with my shenanigans!<br/>(and the next true piece in the series is underway, I promise!!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Crowley was a big spooky fan. Which is why it didn’t surprise Gabriel when he asked him to ‘hang out’ for Halloween. It did surprise him, however, when Crowley showed up at work that night.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Gabriel asked. He was doing some field work in Ireland, and, as far as he knew, Aziraphale and Crowley had been planning to spend the evening in Scotland. So it didn’t make sense why Crowley was here now.</p><p>“Gabe?” Crowley said, blinking his eyes in mock-surprise. “Is that you? Fancy seeing you here…”</p><p>Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I told you I was going to be here.”</p><p>“Yeah, and that was your mistake.” Crowley hopped over and slung an arm over Gabriel’s shoulders. He started steering him away from his post. “What? Did you expect me not to show up and kidnap you?”</p><p>“Yes,” Gabriel said. Clearly he had too high hopes for Crowley. “And you aren’t kidnapping me.”</p><p>“Then why are you walking away with me?”</p><p>Gabriel looked over his shoulder, seeing the tree he had been standing under drifting away in the distance. He sighed, but did not stop walking. “Crowley, I told you. I can’t take off tonight. It’s one of the busiest nights of the year. Do you know how easy it is for demons to get work done on this day?”</p><p>Crowley laughed. “Yeah, I do. Man, the kinds of things I used to get up to…” He glanced around at the crowd they had entered, snickering.</p><p>“I have to stay here and keep an eye on things,” Gabriel explained. Especially if Crowley was going to be around, causing trouble.</p><p>“Ah, c’mon. The world can spare ya a few hours. Besides,” Crowley leaned his head over and whispered in his ear, “Aziraphale would be very disappointed.”</p><p>Gabriel frowned at him. “That’s low, even for you.”</p><p>“He talks about it all the time, ya know? Never get to spend any holidays with Gabriel. Always have to wonder how much better it would be were Gabriel here.”</p><p>“He does not talk like that.”</p><p>“Alright so I’m paraphrasing.” Crowley pulled them to a stop, turning to face Gabriel. He grabbed his arms. “C’mon. Please?”</p><p>Gabriel looked at Crowley’s face, desperate and pleading. It wasn’t Aziraphale he was doing this for. But he still wasn’t used to talking about himself like that. Gabriel crossed his arms and deepened his frown. He really couldn’t leave work tonight. But he also couldn’t stand to disappoint Crowley like that. What kind of a husband would that make him?</p><p>“Fine,” he said. Crowley smiled, looking much too pleased with himself. “But only one hour.”</p><p>Crowley sneered, clearly about to make an argument. But Gabriel fixed him with a hard stare and he backed down.</p><p>“Alright, alright, one hour.” Crowley placed his arm back around Gabriel’s shoulder. “But you’re wearing a costume.”</p><p>-</p><p>“I am not wearing that.” Gabriel studied the colorful costume that Crowley held up to him with a harsh glare.</p><p>“Why not? It’s perfect for you.” Crowley held it up closer, tilting his head, probably imagining the way Gabriel would look in it. Gabriel could imagine, too, and he’d look ridiculous.</p><p>“I never agreed to wear a costume at all. They’re childish.”</p><p>Crowley frowned and placed his hands on his hips. “So I’m childish?”</p><p>Gabriel looked Crowley up and down. He was wearing a skin-tight leather suit that was mostly black but had a bit of a purple sheen to it. And he had recently put on gloves with bright gold claws attached to the ends. And Gabriel wasn’t sure which was more concerning; the headband with two cat ears that he wore on his head or the gaudy gold chain necklace and purple glasses that he had ‘decorated’ himself with. Gabriel raised an eyebrow, indicating that, yes, Crowley was childish.</p><p>“Psh. You’re no fun.”</p><p>The door downstairs opened, the bell above it alerting them that Aziraphale had returned home.</p><p>“He’ll be disappointed you’re not wearing a costume,” Crowley warned. Gabriel shook his head at him.</p><p>“Crowley, dear? Are you ready?” Aziraphale asked as he walked upstairs. “Oh! Gabriel? You’re here?”</p><p>“Yes. Your husband is very convincing.”</p><p>“Oh, I see.” Aziraphale walked up to Gabriel and placed a hand on his cheek. “So he’s only your husband when he’s not being annoying, hm?”</p><p>“Hardly leaves any time for that,” Gabriel said.</p><p>Crowley scowled at them as they shared a laugh and a kiss. “Alright, alright, enough of that. Angel, help me convince him to wear his costume.” Crowley held up the offending object again.</p><p>“You know,” Aziraphale said, looking between the costume and Gabriel. “What if he wore that under?”</p><p>Crowley considered that for a moment. “With some glasses,” he added.</p><p>“It’d be perfect,” Aziraphale agreed.</p><p>“What are you two going on about now?” Gabriel asked. He was a little wary of the looks they were giving him, particularly the smile plastered on Crowley’s face.</p><p>“Compromise,” Aziraphale explained. “You can wear your suit over the costume. You’d still be dressed up and you don’t have to look so…”</p><p>“Colorful,” Crowley offered.</p><p>“Yes. How does that sound?”</p><p>If it would make them happy, and get the night to move along faster, Gabriel was willing to do it. “But what was that you were saying about glasses?”</p><p>-</p><p>Crowley nudged Gabriel in the side. “See? You can still totally do your job. Lots of people around. A total breeding ground for demonic activity.”</p><p>Gabriel studied the crowd, watching happy families laugh and joke. A couple of kids ran past them, ghost-shaped balloons held tight in hands.</p><p>“Yes,” Gabriel agreed. “Very demonic.”</p><p>“Just you watch and see. There’ll be something nice and evil for you to deal with. Certain of it.”</p><p>Gabriel squinted at him. “You better not be planning anything.”</p><p>“Ah, you should know by now.” He slung his arm around Gabriel’s shoulder. “I never plan anything.” That did appear to be true.</p><p>“Here we are,” Aziraphale said, returning to them. He was holding three cups in hand, and he passed them out. “Hot apple cider. A classic.”</p><p>Gabriel sniffed at it. It smelled a little bit like some of the teas that Aziraphale made. And Aziraphale was giving him an encouraging look, so he took a sip. It was a little tart, but he didn’t mind it. And Aziraphale had given it to him, so he figured he ought to drink it.</p><p>“I still can’t believe you agreed to wear that,” Gabriel said.</p><p>Aziraphale wore a fairly normal suit, but it was accented with a purple bow tie that matched a purple top hat. He also sported a monocle that managed to stay on his face without him needing to hold it up. And carried along with him was a vaguely familiar umbrella, with a strange, green bird carved into the handle. He didn’t look nearly as ridiculous as Crowley did, but it was still a bit much.</p><p>“It’s all part of the festivities,” Aziraphale said.</p><p>“And I’m very convincing,” Crowley added, bumping into Gabriel as they walked towards their first destination.</p><p>Gabriel agreed, itching slightly in the costume they had convinced him to wear under his suit. And he still didn’t understand the point of wearing glasses, as he certainly had no trouble seeing without them. Crowley had even done something to Gabriel’s hair. It had a curl to it now.</p><p>How did Gabriel let them get this much of a hold on his life?</p><p>“Here we are at the first attraction,” Crowley announced. He gestured to the building before them. It had been painted a dark color, purposefully chipped away, and inside the windows they could see lights flashing as people screamed.</p><p>“What is this supposed to be?” Gabriel asked. Groups of humans emerged from one door, laughing, while other groups, hunched together, entered through another.</p><p>“Haunted house.” Crowley grabbed Gabriel’s arm and got them in line.</p><p>“Haunted?”</p><p>Aziraphale hooked his arm with Gabriel’s other, as if they were worried he would try to make a great escape. He thought maybe he should. “Don’t worry, Dear. It’s all just for fun.”</p><p>Crowley hissed at him. “Is not. It’s really haunted. Evil ghosts, demonic influences, all the good stuff.” He gave Gabriel’s arm a squeeze. “Who knows? You may have some work to do in there.”</p><p>Aziraphale leaned forward and gave Crowley a quizzical look. Crowley just smiled at him and Gabriel sighed. He just knew that something was going to go wrong in that house. Crowley had planned something, and now Gabriel would have to clean up whatever mess he made.</p><p>Crowley paid for their entrance and they stepped into a dark little room, waiting for their turn to go. Aziraphale chuckled a bit and held tighter to Gabriel’s arm as ominous music started to play. Gabriel wasn’t looking forward to Crowley’s surprise, but he did like having Aziraphale hold onto him like that.</p><p>The door creaked open on it’s own, and the three stepped forward.</p><p>The hallway was filled with a green light that glowed up from the floor. Ropes separated the room, cheap displays of gravestones and fake body parts spread about. There was a half body laying slumped over a stone by the end of the hall, and Gabriel could tell they were real. They would probably try to scare them as they approached.</p><p>The body did, indeed, pop up at them, the actor yelling something about turning back now, as they reached the next doorway. Aziraphale gave a little jump, pressing closer to Gabriel’s body, even though there was absolutely nothing to be fearful of.</p><p>And that seemed to be what the whole ‘attraction’ was like. Gaudy displays. Obvious actors. Terrible jump-scares that Gabriel felt Aziraphale had no reason to be frightened of. But Crowley was smiling, and Aziraphale was holding onto him tight, so Gabriel said nothing of it, determined to at least pretend to enjoy the show.</p><p>“Did you have a good time, Dear?” Aziraphale asked as they entered the last room. It appeared to be a long, empty hallway. But there was a cut-away panel halfway through that would probably pop something out at them.</p><p>“Yes,” Gabriel lied. “Very haunted and demonic indeed.”</p><p>Crowley chuckled, a deep and low tone. Gabriel looked over at him, but as soon as his head turned the lights flickered off, surrounding him in darkness. Aziraphale’s grip tightened even more, his body shuffling closer. Gabriel could feel Aziraphale’s heartbeat, fast and hard, no longer pretending to be afraid.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Gabriel told him. “Crowley, did you have something to do with this?”</p><p>He got no response. Gabriel reached out to his left, to where Crowley should be, but he felt nothing. Not even the wall. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, he willed a bit of light into the palm of his hand. It illuminated nothing but the empty space around him.</p><p>Aziraphale moved, positioning himself in front of Gabriel, his back pressed to Gabriel’s front. And Gabriel held him tight with his right arm, the left still looking for anything in the darkness.</p><p>“I’m sure it’s just Crowley messing with us,” Gabriel whispered, even though he could feel his own rising fear argue against that. “Nothing to worry about.”</p><p>Aziraphale nodded. “Perhaps we should...keep going?”</p><p>Gabriel agreed and they shuffled forward. No matter where Gabriel shone his light, he still could see nothing but Aziraphale. No walls, no humans, no Crowley.</p><p>“Did he tell you what he was planning?” Gabriel asked as they continued wandering in what he hoped was a straight line.</p><p>“No. And I specifically told him not to pull anything tonight.” Aziraphale huffed, stomping a bit as they walked. He didn’t seem as scared anymore, but Gabriel still did not want to let him go. Just in case. “If he really is behind this I’ll-”</p><p>Aziraphale never got to finish his threat. The lights flashed back on and a realistic display of an actual graveyard appeared around them. The body parts were real, severed bits strewn about. A life-like half-body even crawled its way towards them, dragging itself through the mud with claw-like hands.</p><p>It looked very good, and Gabriel was slightly impressed that Crowley had put it all together.</p><p>The half-body approached them. Aziraphale pressed a little bit closer to Gabriel, but by this point they were both calmed and aware of the situation. The body reached out, one hand slowly grabbing around Gabriel’s ankle as it moaned a horrid tone.</p><p>“Really?” the body asked in Crowley’s voice. “Not even a little scream?”</p><p>“Perhaps we would scream if you were actually scary,” Gabriel said.</p><p>“Ouch,” the body replied. “Harsh.”</p><p>The scene disappeared in a wave and the three of them were standing by the exit of the house, having passed whatever surprise was meant for them in the center of the hall. Crowley had his arms crossed, pouting at them.</p><p>“It was a very valiant effort, darling,” Aziraphale said.</p><p>“Oh don’t patronize me.” Crowley pushed the door open and led them back into the chilly fall air.</p><p>“We only have,” Aziraphale grabbed Gabriel’s arm, looking at his watch, “Thirty two minutes left.” (Gabriel had docked them the time it took to get their costumes on). “What shall we do next?”</p><p>Gabriel had forgotten about the hour he had given them. He had been enjoying his time with them, as he always did, and he was not looking forward to having to leave. But he also couldn’t let them get away with keeping him longer, for then he’d lose any last strand of authority he still had.</p><p>“Hayride could be fun,” Crowley said. And he had that mischievous little smirk on his face again that filled Gabriel with worry.</p><p>“Why not something else,” Gabriel suggested.</p><p>“Oh?” Aziraphale asked. He had already started for the sign pointing to the hayride. “You don’t want to go?”</p><p>And there he was, using that one face that Gabriel couldn’t say no too. He had to be doing it on purpose.</p><p>“I’d love to go,” Gabriel said.</p><p>Crowley’s smirk grew and Gabriel gave him a side-eyed look as they moved through the crowds. They piled into the back of an old truck, sitting on bales of hay that pricked at their legs. They were joined by a group of teenagers who laughed among themselves and talked excitedly.</p><p>“Cold?” Crowley asked. He sat on the other side of Aziraphale and held open a blanket, already draping it over his legs. Gabriel was not cold, but he certainly wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity like this, so he slid over, pressing Aziraphale between the two of them and letting Crowley place the other end of the blanket on his lap.</p><p>Aziraphale hummed a content note as he snuggled between the two of them. Gabriel was very glad he had let Crowley convince him to come out that night.</p><p>The ride jerked to a start and it was clear to see that this attraction was even less thought through than the last one. A few scarecrows had been dressed up in the tall fields of crops they drove through, but otherwise there wasn’t much else going on. And Gabriel wasn’t really sure where the ‘attraction’ was, until he noticed that the teens had all broken off into pairs, snuggled up in their own blankets, simply enjoying the atmosphere together.</p><p>Crowley stretched and wrapped his arm around Aziraphale’s shoulders. Gabriel felt someone tap on his left shoulder. But when he looked over, there was no one there.</p><p>“Everything alright?” Aziraphale asked as Gabriel looked around for who had touched him.</p><p>“Someone tapped my shoulder,” Gabriel said. He sighed, foolish for thinking of any other option. “Crowley, I know it was you.”</p><p>“Can’t have been.” Crowley reached as far as he could, his fingers only just able to tickle Gabriel’s right shoulder. “Can’t reach.” Gabriel squinted at him. “Musta been a ghost.”</p><p>Aziraphale patted Crowley’s leg and shook his head. “I’m sure it was probably just an overgrown crop.”</p><p>Gabriel looked at the crops that passed by and nodded. He would have felt guilty for accusing Crowley, if he didn’t still have that smirk on his face.</p><p>Gabriel went back to enjoying the views of the night and his companions. A minute or two later, he felt someone not just tap his shoulder, but grab it in a tight hold. He snapped his head around, wondering if maybe one of the scarecrows was an actor like in the house. But all that was on his shoulder was a severed hand, a stub of an arm sticking up into the air. Gabriel just stared at it.</p><p>“Ah, come on!” Crowley protested. “Severed hand? That’s terrifying!”</p><p>At his speech, the teens in the truck all looked over at Gabriel, gasping and scurrying away from said hand. Crowley gestured to them. “See?”</p><p>Aziraphale just laughed and plucked the hand from Gabriel’s shoulder. “A good trick, no?” he asked the teens. Then he grabbed Crowley’s arm and put the two pieces back together, pretending to screw the hand back on. “Tada!”</p><p>Crowley waved his fingers at the group and they let out a relieved laugh, clapping a little. Aziraphale smiled, looking positively pleased with himself. And when Aziraphale was happy, it was hard for Crowley to be disappointed at his second failed attempt.</p><p>So they settled back down against each other and enjoyed the rest of the ride without any more ‘spooky’ attempts. If Crowley wanted to try and scare Gabriel, he was going to have to try harder than that. And he had no doubt that Crowley would try.</p><p>“Are you sure that you can only stay for the hour?” Aziraphale asked as they climbed down from the truck and moved back into the crowd. He had latched himself onto Gabriel’s arm again, which made staying true to his time rule very difficult.</p><p>“I’m sure,” Gabriel insisted. He looked directly away from the face Aziraphale gave him. “I have too much work to do.” Unfortunately, where he was looking now was at a row of very reflective windows.</p><p>But the reflection didn’t seem right. It was still Gabriel and Aziraphale, only they looked so much older than their bodies had been made to seem. It was almost as if their true age was showing in the wrinkles of their skin and sunkenness of their muscles.</p><p>Gabriel reached a hand up to his face, gently checking for any signs of ware. He felt nothing out of place, and when he looked down at Aziraphale again all was the same. So he shrugged it off and kept moving.</p><p>“Seriously?” Crowley asked, sneaking up behind him, walking so close to his back that Gabriel was sure they would trip over each other. “Nothing?”</p><p>Gabriel turned his head slightly, getting another look at the windows. “Oh. Is that supposed to be scary?”</p><p>He caught the scowl on Crowley’s face out of the corner of his eye and Aziraphale chuckled beside them.</p><p>“I give up,” Crowley said. He threw his hands up with a pout and slowed to a crawl behind them.</p><p>Aziraphale stopped, turning Gabriel around to face him. “Really, my dear. There’s no need to get pouty because you can’t scare us.”</p><p>Crowley just crossed his arms and squinted at them.</p><p>“Would it make you feel better to frighten a few of the humans?” Aziraphale asked.</p><p>Crowley looked around at the passing crowd, a little bit of light returning to his eyes. “Maybe…”</p><p>Gabriel glanced down at his watch. They didn’t have much time left. And he certainly didn’t want to spend their last few minutes together watching Crowley scare people. But if that’s what he wanted to do then that’s what they would do.</p><p>“Later though,” Crowley said. He walked back up to the two of them and took Gabriel’s hand, pulling the watch out of his sight. “I still got some time to think up something for you two.”</p><p>Aziraphale sighed and shook his head, but did chuckle softly as they continued their walk.</p><p>-</p><p>Crowley ended up not trying anything. Which only grew Gabriel’s suspicion that something bigger was in the works. Aziraphale got him to share a caramel apple with him (why everything used apples, Gabriel didn’t know), and Crowley had forced them to take some pictures on his phone while they were strolling through the (mostly empty) pumpkin patch.</p><p>By the time they walked back to the shop, there was only seven minutes left.</p><p>“We need one more picture,” Crowley announced, pulling off his coat and draping it over the counter. “And you’re welcome for not making you do it out in public.”</p><p>“What’s that?” Gabriel asked. Aziraphale shook his head, picking up Crowley’s coat to hang it up with his own.</p><p>“I need certifiable proof that you wore the costume.” Crowley waved at Gabriel’s clothes, suggesting he dismiss them.</p><p>Gabriel’s face twitched involuntarily into a smirk. “Would this be adequate?” He carefully undid a few of his shirt buttons, pulling the fabric aside and revealing the bright S on his costume.</p><p>Crowley gasped and snapped a quick picture. Then he scowled. “I thought you didn’t know who Superman was!” he accused.</p><p>Gabriel shrugged, letting his shirt fall closed. “It seemed important to you, so I looked it up.”</p><p>“You did?” Aziraphale grabbed his arm, a pleased look on his face. Gabriel nodded.</p><p>“Shouldn’t have done that,” Crowley whispered.</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“Well, cause now you aren’t allowed to leave. Nope.”</p><p>Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him as Crowley wrapped his arms around his waist, holding him tight. He sighed. “I can’t stay.”</p><p>“You have to. Illegal to go now.” Crowley placed a kiss on Gabriel’s shoulder. “Ain’t that right, Angel?”</p><p>Aziraphale sighed, but snuggled closer as well. “I’m afraid he’s right, dear. You’re stuck here until morning.”</p><p>“What a shame,” Crowley crooned.</p><p>Gabriel sighed, hanging his head. He knew letting Crowley kidnap him earlier this evening was a bad idea, and here was the proof. “I said an hour and I meant an hour.”</p><p>“Oh please,” Crowley said. “You were never staying for just an hour and you knew that.”</p><p>Somewhere, Gabriel did know that. But he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. He wiggled his arm free and looked at his watch. “Five minutes,” he announced.</p><p>Crowley grumbled and frowned, pulling away. “You’re no fun.” He turned and slumped upstairs.</p><p>Aziraphale patted Gabriel on the arm and led him away after the mopey demon.</p><p>They started to climb the stairs, but stopped when they heard what sounded like a spring bouncing, accompanied by Crowley’s scream, and a thud. After sharing a look, they raced up and found Crowley sitting on the floor, hand on his chest as he tried to calm his breath.</p><p>“Darling?” Aziraphale asked, kneeling next to him. He placed a hand on Crowley’s shoulder. “Is everything alright?”</p><p>Crowley raised a hand and pointed a shaking finger at the closet. Gabriel strode over, body tense and ready as he reached for the doorknob. Aziraphale nodded and he pulled, an overly large snake springing out towards them.</p><p>Aziraphale let out a little yelp, falling to a sitting position next to Crowley as the snake bounced at them. Taking a minute to process that it wasn’t a real snake, Gabriel was over to them in an instant, ready to defend and fight off any threat.</p><p>He relaxed as Crowley started laughing. “I had forgotten about that one,” he said. “But hey! I got ya!”</p><p>“You got yourself, Dear.” Aziraphale tutted. He stood up and dusted himself off.</p><p>“Which, in turn, got you.” Crowley smiled triumphantly at them. He took Aziraphale’s hand and got to his feet. “So technically, I still win!”</p><p>Aziraphale shook his head and rolled his eyes. But he chuckled fondly and smiled. Gabriel, meanwhile, glared at Crowley as he got up and fought the buzz that had risen in his chest.</p><p>“What’s with the death glare?” Crowley asked. “It’s Halloween! It can’t end without a li’l bit of fright.”</p><p>Gabriel sighed and shook his head. It was much too complicated to explain, and he didn’t want to ruin the three minutes they still had together. So he just stepped up to them and pulled Crowley into a hug, one perhaps a little too tight.</p><p>In the end, what they had all known turned out to be true. Gabriel was still there once those three minutes had passed, and for many minutes following.</p>
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